Silence
by emeraldteardrops
Summary: In dangerous times, actions can speak louder than words. Very short twoshot.
1. Chapter 1

A/N This is a one-shot previously posted at Samurai Fanservice. It is not related to any of my other work. It's a little 'un. :)

Silence

They sat huddled in the darkness, back to back, dividing up the night with eyes too weary to be on guard. Three would watch, two would rest, none would sleep. The wind was cold tonight, bitter and angry, and it cut at their unprotected faces and necks without remorse. Their bodies hurt, but there was nothing that could be done about it. Their stomachs burned from hunger, but there was nothing that could be done about that either. So instead they sat, and the waited, and they hoped. Feverishly.

They couldn't talk. Silence was part of their protection in this dark desolate wasteland. A single sound would carry a mile, and they weren't alone out here this night. But it worked both ways, they would hear any that approached them as well.

Kento let out a soft sigh, barely audible but full of meaning. They all understood. They all felt the same way. They wanted their homes, they wanted their beds. They wanted the safety that they fought so hard to ensure for others, they wanted to let down their guards just once and know what it was like to be free of fear.

Despite himself Ryo shivered, then quickly controlled his body. It was too late, they had all felt it. He was mentally cursing at himself for displaying weakness in front of them, worrying that it would erode their confidence. He sat up straighter, lifting his tanned fan defiantly to the night sky, determined to ignore the bite of the cold that affected him more than any of the rest of them. Cool fingers touched his arm, briefly, and Ryo locked eyes with Cye. The auburn haired man gave him a tight smile, and he nodded his head firmly, his own head lifted high. Ryo's worries were unfounded. It wasn't their leader's strength that kept them going. It was his strength even after he had been brought to his knees that kept them strong, because no matter how bad they were off, Ryo would always always get back up.

Rowen shifted backwards, his lanky body tighter against Kento's broad back. He leaned his head back on his comrade's shoulder and he looked up at the few visible stars, exhaling silently, taking what comfort he could. Hardrock dropped his shoulder slightly to give Rowen a more comfortable head purchase, and he lightly ran his fingers along the ground. The dirt caught on his chipped fingernails, clinging to his hands as if drawn. To his left, Sage watched the movement, as if envious. He was as without his element as Ryo. On Sage's left, Rowen caught the expression on Sage's face. He nudged Sage with his elbow, getting him to turn. Rowen lifted his finger and pointed at the sliver of moon that hung in the distance. Sage gave Rowen a half hearted smile and Rowen shrugged. They both knew that wasn't enough.

A twig snapped in the darkness around them and they all froze. It was one thing to be the hunter. It was so much different to be the hunted. No one breathed, no one even moved. But their minds tumbled. Who was closest to who, who would react how, who would they be able to protect if they were attacked from where. Ryo shifted slightly, just enough to make sure that if it came from his direction, it would reach him first. They felt that and their pride burned in their hearts even as fear clutched their stomachs.

Silence.

Silence.

Too much silence.

Nowhere to hide, they only had each other.

Finally, bit by bit, the warriors relaxed as an attack failed to fall. Sage's eyes darted up to that small sliver of moon that gave such a tiny amount of light, suddenly appreciating it so much more. Kento's fingers stayed buried in the dirt, holding on for dear life. They all listened for Ryo, their leader, to tell them what to do. They focused on his breathing, on his body movement, on him with complete and utter trust. And he focused his entire self on keeping them safe.

They circled like sharks in the darkness, unseen and unknown, their sleekly dangerous bodies stretching for miles. The hunted had become the found. But they watched and waited. Waited for their pack leader to allow them to flow down upon their enemy, a flood of death. And the pack leader held patiently, crouched not twenty feet from where they sat huddled, waiting…waiting…

Waiting for that focus to break.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Hi everyone! I've been super busy, hence very few updates on my stuff. Hopefully that will change after this summer is over... All reviews have been most appreciated, but since I've just not been able to find time to do adequate review responses, don't feel like you need to leave me any feedback. I love hearing it, but since I haven't have the time to respond, that's not fair to the reviewer to not get a personal thank you. But here's a mass thank you to everyone who's read this fic and liked it! And thank MK for the second part. She cheerleaded this ficlet into being.

Silence: Part Two

We had come in waves, an ocean of dark sleek bodies, breaking upon the shore of their torn and battered selves. Once released my brethren could not be contained, rolling and surging over each other to be the first upon the creatures. They had not seen us coming and they had not been given a moment's warning.

But still…they went down fighting.

The one encased in orange goes down first. He had seemed to know the inevitable when his eyes had first glimpsed our masses, and he had fallen to his knees before us as we swept in. My mate reached him first. Her brilliant teeth glitter in the moonlight as she lunges for his throat. Yet still on his knees, the orange one sweep her from the air in one huge fist, his fingers crushing her life from her eyes even as he clutches the ground beneath him. The earth lurches up in anger and I lay flat, motionless. Around me the snarls and cries as we are thrown to the ground, our bones snapping, our bodies breaking. The orange one takes out many before he disappears beneath our fury, never crying out as we rip his life from his chest. His comrades cry and try to reach him. But we are like the stars. We are never ending. There is nothing they can do.

The two in blue fight together, back to back, eyes wild with fear. They cut through us with claws of steel, taking us down in sweeps. But they grow weary and the taller one stumbles when he is struck. The other tries to protect the first but he is one against many. Their arms are linked as they were overcome, and stay that way until our teeth tear them apart. One cries out a word, short but full of longing. The other stares at the sky until our frenzy blocked it from view. A few more of us fall even as they do. They are vicious enemies to the end.

The one in green is separated from the rest and fighting like a hoard of demons all alone. His claw slices through the air with wicked intent, and we all fall before him. He is untouchable, the glow emitting from his form painful to our eyes. He confuses us, distracts us, slays us. We crouch warily, just beyond his reach, reassessing this creature. Behind us the two in blue stumble and fall, and the green one tries to cut through us to reach them. It is his mistake: his first and his last. Two steps and my brethren hamstring him. He takes one more step and falls to his knees. He tries to push back up but there are teeth clamping down on his armored shoulders and arms. Our hot breath is all he can smell and the weight of our bodies drag him down. He is a demon still, wanting our deaths the way we want food in our starving bellies. He knows he will be taken. He kills us simply for spite. This infuriates us, that blatant disregard for the needs of the pack. With him…we linger.

A roar of fury, of pain, of loss. I know that sound. It is the same that tore from my chest as I watched my mate fall. I turn to the maker, and his eyes meet mine. There is madness there, and a power that makes me tremble. He sweeps his claws together over his head and instinctively I lunge for him. My body hits his just as we are engulfed in heat.

Beyond us, a fire rages.

I smell the flesh burning, hear the screams of pain from my pack. We were everywhere, so numerous that nothing nothing could destroy us. We took what we had to survive, for no creature wants to die. No creature wants to watch its family die, the young starving with bloated bellies. A thousand shrieks of pain stretching for miles as we are swept away by the inferno. I know the instant my firstborn falls, when the light in his eyes leaves. His body was huddled over his mate's protectively, but both were consumed. Our hunger has finally been matched. We have met our enemy and he is strong.

And then there is silence. I fall back from the armored body, my teeth and my claws barely scratching my prey. I am hurt, I am burned, but unlike the rest of my brethren, I am alive.

I alone.

Warily I crouch before him, my eyes locked on his. I know this creature. I watched it for hours, waiting for that one moment that it would finally slip and I would have my chance. A pack is disordered, panicked when its leader is taken, and that is what I had waited for. His guard dropped just for an instant and I had lunged, my jaws sinking into his shoulder by his neck and dragging him from the others. His own pack had tried to get to him in time, but we are an ocean.

We were an ocean. And I am the final remaining drop.

We should be circling each other, looking for an opening. We should be killing each other: him for retribution, me for survival. Still we stay there, not moving, not breathing. I think he is overcome with his loss, and the madness in his eyes has left. Instead there is something so infinitely sad that even one such as I cannot understand it. To me he is a beast, one that has taken us all for vengeance. We were only hungry, and we took down few compared to our many.

I am the last and it hits me like a blow. The presence that has always been in my head, looking to me, searching for guidance, trusting in me is now gone. All that is left is empty echoes and my thoughts. Only I. The silence is deafening and I believe I will go mad.

One left of each of us. His shoulders slump and liquid rolls down his face. His guard is down but this time I stay still. Why should I attempt to feed when there is no reason to? Why should I kill when there is plenty of food should I care to take it? My throat is dry and my belly feels dead. There is no reason. A pack might be confused without its leader, but a leader is nothing without his pack.

He sinks to his knees before me, eyes still locked on mine. I remain silent, not knowing this is my enemy, only knowing that now I am alone. And he is too. I would not have done that to him purposefully. I would have killed him swiftly, painlessly. For a moment I take comfort in his presence, ignoring the vast emptiness that threatens to consume me. We were the stars. And I am lost without them.

A groan reaches our ears, one of his pack. Fury grips me, unknown in my life until now, and the bloodlust is upon me. It is not fair! Our suffering was equal! But now...now it is only I that is alone. His eyes flicker towards the voice, my body lifts into the air. Teeth find flesh, puncturing deep. Metal is slick with blood. And then, once more, there is only silence.


End file.
